Day 15 - Los Angeles (Panama Canal Cruise)

Back to reality. Docking in Los Angeles as I make this post. We'll soon be back on dry land and in the real world. Cruising is a great way to see the Panama Canal.

Day 14 - At Sea (Panama Canal Cruise)

Today is the last full day of our cruise; at 7 am tomorrow we'll be at the pier in Los Angeles. We're at sea and it's packing day. By 10 pm everything but our carryon luggage has to be packed and ready for pickup. We've done well on shopping and only bought two bottles of Mexican vanilla. Should be easy enough to fit everything back into the suitcases!

On the Wake Up show this morning we learned the fees for our passage through the Panama Canal was $330,000. They also said our fuel economy is 35 feet/gallon. It takes a lot of fuel to move something this big! They also pointed out we ate so much food that we come on as passengers and are leaving as cargo!!!!!

Staying in touch on a cruise is lots easier than it used to be. You can use cell phones onboard ship it you have international roaming. (We don't so I have no idea about the charges. Just know they're high!) We have wireless internet access in our stateroom so checking email and updating the blog was easy and convenient. Of course there's a down side to everything. Fees for internet service range from $.35 to $.75 per minutes. (Lower rate if you purchase a 500 minute package.)

Here's a few other things on my list of good/bad things about cruising . . .

- Food 24 hours a day

- At least 2 desserts every day

- Wonderful soft serve ice cream from 11 am till 11 pm

- Room service 24 hours a day

- Easy access to food, drink, and entertainment

- A room with a view

What a vacation! How will we ever go back to "normal?"

Well, it's time to call room service and order tea. Have to enjoy this last day of luxury. And the scones are wonderful. (Yes, better than Buc-ees.)

I'll leave you with the view from our balcony of yesterday's sunset.

Day 13 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (Panama Canal Cruise)

Land's End, where the Pacific meets the Sea of Cortez. At this point you'll find the spectacular ached rocks of Las Acros and the beautiful resort city of Cabo San Lucas.

Cabo was once a small fishing village. But the crystal-clear waters, white-sand beaches and the dry climate attracted the tourists and the tourists attracted the developers. The beaches and hillsides are lined with hotels, resorts, condos, and residential areas.

We were tendered to shore and loaded on buses for our Coastal Highlights tour. We visited a glass blowing studio or maybe I should say factory. The growth of the food and beverage industry in Cabo created the demand for glassware. The locals were there to answer the call. While one blower was shaping a beautiful pitcher, others were creating drinking glasses. Each was a one of a kind.

We visited the town square of Cabo San Jose, a smaller community northeast of Cabo San Lucas. Along the way we passed Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, Starbucks, Costco, McDonalds and more familiar establishments. You can definitely see the influence of the US here. But in Cabo San Jose the pace was slower and we got a glimpse of how the towns were before the growth of the tourist industry.

We also visited Cacti Mondo, a privately owned cactus garden. These folks have done a wonderful job of acquiring and displaying an impressive number of cacti. There are hundreds of varieties of cacti in the garden.

Tonight is our last formal night and the Captain's Gala Dinner. So we're off to dinner.

Day 12 - At Sea (Panama Canal Cruise)

Quiet day at sea on our way to Cabo San Lucas.

Spent a few hours on the balcony watching the Pacific Ocean go by. Saw a couple of sea turtles and some dolphins. Visited with our neighbors out on their balconies.

These pictures are a sample of what you see on sea days! The ocean was calm and serene.

Day 11 - Acapulco, Mexico (Panama Canal Cruise)

Ever wonder what happened to all the old VW Beetles? They're all in Acapulco being used as taxis! Yes, taxis. Today we've seen hundreds.

John and I haven't been to Acapulco for many years. The city is still breathtakingly beautiful. The bay is a deep shade of blue and colorful umbrellas dot the beaches. High-rise hotels line the coast.

And the "vendors" (aka hagglers!!!!) are still aggressive and a total pain. We said no over and over for 10 minutes to taxis, tours, and shopping excursions as we walked across the street to Fort San Diego.

reboarded
After exploring the fort we checked out the shops in the cruise terminal. Then wethe ship and settled in on our balcony to enjoy lunch, the scenery, and the parade of people and vehicles passing the cruise terminal.

Day 10 - Huatulco, Mexico (Panama Canal Cruise)

Today we put our feet on dry land for the first time in 7 days.

Our port of call is Huatulco (Wa-tul-co), Mexico, home to 18 miles of cove-studded coastline forming nine beauriful bays. The port, with the dramatic contrast between the soft, white-sand beaches and the jagged Sierra Madre del Sur peaks, is extraordinary. And it's the first time we've ever felt completely safe in Mexico. Can you tell we're impressed?

In this picture you can just see the bow of the Holland America ship, the Rotterdam, docked along side our ship.

We walked a short distance on the pier into the Santa Cruz section of Huatulco, where we found the usual shops and restaurants. The plaza in front of the open-air church is festive. The vendors were out selling their wares and tours but were not pushy or aggressive; when we said no they would leave us alone.

Just 10 years ago this was a sleepy fishing village. Today, the Mexican government, inspired by the success of Cancun, is developing Huatulco into a major tourist destination, with resort hotels and restaurants springing up along its sun-soaked shores. Americans are just beginning to discover this beautiful resort.

This is a place we wouldn't mind visiting again.

Day 9 - At Sea (Panama Canal Cruise)

Cruising the Pacific Ocean on a north-west course.

Today we enjoy ship activities. Had a "pub lunch" of fish and chips, attended a tequila tasting, and a destination lecture about Huatulco and Acapulco and the Central American Volcanic Arc. Then we sunbathed on our balcony for a short time. Later, we were off to the Captain's Circle Cocktail Party, dinner and a show. There always something to do on board.

This picture is sunset over the mountains of Costa Rica as we left Puntarenas yesterday afternoon.

There is a medical emergency onboard so we're cruising at top speed to Huatulco. We should arrive there about 8 am, five hours earlier than expected.